The Monteshwar constituency in East Burdwan witnessed a major upheaval in the West Bengal assembly elections. BJP candidate Saikat Panja has won this seat by defeating Trinamool Congress heavyweight candidate and state library minister Siddikulla Chowdhury.
This defeat of Siddikulla Chowdhury carries special significance in political circles. It should be noted that the people of Monteshwar have rejected Siddikulla Chowdhury, who is known as an opponent of the trial of 1971 war criminals and Razakars in Bangladesh and who has received the title of radical religious at times.
According to Election Commission data, BJP candidate Saikat Panja got a total of 96 thousand 559 votes. He defeated outgoing Trinamool minister Siddikulla Chowdhury by a margin of 14,798 votes.
The equation of Monteswar’s politics is quite dramatic. This seat was once an impregnable Trinamool stronghold built by Saikat Panja’s father late Sajal Panja.
In 2016 Sajal Panja was elected as the first Trinamool MLA from Monteswar.
After Sajal Panja’s death Trinamool gave ticket to his son Saikat Panja and he won by a big margin. Saikat Panja left the Trinamool and joined the BJP before the 2021 elections. This time he fought for Gerua Shibir in the seat created by his father and defeated the Trinamool minister.
After Bipul’s win, Saikat Panja told the media, “I am very happy to lose the library minister in Monteswar. Today is a different day. I am eternally grateful to the people of Monteswar for giving a befitting reply to conspirators and divisive leaders.”
Meanwhile, amid tension across the state, according to the latest information of the Election Commission, Mamata Banerjee is ahead in Bhavanipur seat, but she is in a tight fight with Shuvendu Adhikari in Nandigram. However, the defeat of an influential minister like Siddikulla Chowdhury is seen as a big blow for the Trinamool camp.
Ever since the declaration of the results, political heat has spread in different parts of the state. It has been reported that several Trinamool offices were attacked and set on fire. Additional security forces have been deployed in various sensitive areas to keep the situation under control.
